Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Sunday requested the Centre to make Odisha a special focus state and allot funding for disaster proofing because the state is affected by natural catastrophes virtually every year.
Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Sunday requested the Centre to make Odisha a special focus state and allot funding for disaster proofing because the state is affected by natural catastrophes virtually every year.
During the Governing Council meeting of the NITI Aayog, held in New Delhi today, Patnaik placed this demand before the Centre while focusing on the need for disaster-resistant infrastructure to shield the state and its citizens from the whims of nature.
“Historically, we have been overlooked in the central list’s topics of banking, railroads, and telecommunications. We have the lowest density in all of these important facilities, thus I would implore the federal government to give Odisha extra attention.
The Chief Minister also brought up the problem of several tribal and KBK districts not receiving additional allocations under the PMAY rural housing programme. The state government has complied with all requests made and urged the centre to address the problem and distribute homes, the official added.
In order to bring the systems up to par with international benchmarks in terms of technology and legal framework, the Odisha CM suggested that ASI be transformed and the AMSAR act amended. This was done to emphasise the importance of conservation and preservation systems, which have undergone significant changes globally.
Subash Singh, the mayor of Cuttack Municipal Corporation, characterised the CM’s demands as sincere. “Odisha qualifies for the designation of “Focus State” since it suffers the most from the whims of nature. It will be very difficult for the state to advance while dealing with such natural tragedies if it is not designated a “Focus State,” according to Singh.
Saptagiri Ulaka, a member of Congress, stated, “We also endorse Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik’s real ideas for the transformation of ASI and amendment to the AMSAR Act. However, our Chief Minister should step up his opposition to the central government rather than sticking to token gestures and giving it his unwavering support.
“He would travel to Delhi once a month during the UPA regime at the centre, bringing accusations of central incompetence. We no longer receive the same benefits that we did during the UPA government. The Parliamentarian continued, “Therefore, demands should be raised more aggressively when they are raised in the Parliament and then we would also extend our support.
The state government’s inability to recognise the kindness of the Modi administration towards the state, according to state BJP general secretary Prithviraj Harichandan, is regrettable. “Under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, we have received a sizable number of houses.The window opened up to five times to incorporate new state beneficiaries under the Awas Yojana, but the state administration did not take it seriously. Many eligible individuals are still without a roof over their heads as a result. In all programmes and yojanas, as well as in times of cyclones and floods, the state has received the lion’s share of funding. It is unfortunate that the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) cannot recognise the kindness of the Modi administration. Some people may turn to lying in politics. But the BJD is the only one who would tell lies like that,” Prithviraj Harichandan added.
Prasanta Patnaik 
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